1 Samuel 18
1 After David finished speaking with Saul, Jonathan became great friends with David. He loved David as he loved himself.
[And it came to pass when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David and David loved him ] [as his own soul. ]
2 From that time on Jonathan had David work for him and would not let him go back home.
[And Saul took him in that day, and did not suffer him to return to his father's house. ]
3 Jonathan made a solemn agreement with David because he loved him as he loved himself.
[And Jonathan and David made a covenant because he loved him as his own soul. ]
4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, together with his tunic, his sword, his bow, and his belt.
[And Jonathan stripped himself of his ] [upper garment, and gave it to David, and his mantle and all he had upon him, even to his sword and to his bow, and to his girdle. ]
5 David was successful in doing everything Saul asked him to do, so Saul made him an officer in the army. This pleased everyone, including Saul's other officers.
[And David went out withersoever Saul sent him, and ] [acted wisely, and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was pleasing in the eyes of all the people, and also in the eyes of the servants of Saul. ]
6 When the soldiers returned home after David had killed the Philistine, the women of all the towns of Israel came out singing and dancing to meet King Saul, happily celebrating with tambourines and musical instruments.
And there came out women in dances to meet David out of all the cities of Israel, with timbrels, and with rejoicing, and with cymbals.
7 As they danced the women sang, “Saul has killed his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.”
And the women began [the strain], and said, Saul has struck his thousands, and David his ten thousands.
8 What they were singing made Saul very angry as he didn't think it was right. He said to himself, “They've given David credit for killing tens of thousands, but only thousands to me. All that's left is to give him the kingdom!”
And it seemed evil in the eyes of Saul concerning this matter, and he said, To David they have given ten thousands, and to me they have given thousands. [And what more can he have but the kingdom? ]
9 From that time on Saul viewed David with suspicion.
[And Saul eyed David from that day and onward. ]
10 The following day an evil spirit from God came on Saul with power, and he was ranting inside the house while David played the harp as he regularly did. Saul happened to be holding a spear,
[And it came to pass on the morrow that an evil spirit from God fell upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of his house. And David was playing on the harp with his hand, according to his daily custom. And Saul’s spear was in his hand. ]
11 and he threw it at David, saying to himself, “I'll pin David to the wall.” But David managed to escape him twice.
[And Saul took his spear and said, I will strike David even to the wall. But David escaped twice from his presence. ]
12 Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with David, but he had given up on Saul.
And Saul was alarmed on account of David.
13 So Saul sent David away and made him a commander of a thousand soldiers, leading them out and back as part of the army.
And he removed him from him, and made him a captain of a thousand for himself; and he went out and came in before the people.
14 David was very successful in everything he did, because the Lord was with him.
And David was prudent in all his ways, and the Lord was with him.
15 When Saul saw how successful David was, he was even more afraid of him.
And Saul saw that he was very wise, and he was afraid of him.
16 But everyone in Israel and Judah loved David, because of his leadership in the army.
And all Israel and Juda loved David, because he came in and went out before the people.
17 One day Saul told David, “Here's my oldest daughter Merab. I will give her to you in marriage, but only if you prove to me you're a brave warrior and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul was thinking, “I don't need to be the one to kill him—let the Philistines do it!”
[And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merob, I will give her to you to Wife, only be you to me a mighty man and fight the wars of the Lord. And Saul said, Let not my hand be upon him, but the hand of the Philistines shall be upon him. ]
18 “But who am I, and what status does my family have in Israel, for me to become the son-in-law of the king?” David replied.
[And David said to Saul, Who am I, and What is the life of my father’s family in Israel, that I should be the king’s son—in-law? ]
19 However, when the time came to give Merab, Saul's daughter, to David, she was given in marriage to Adriel of Meholah instead.
[But it came to pass at the time when Merob Saul’s daughter should have been given to David, that she was given to Israel the Mothulathite to wife. ]
20 Meanwhile Saul's daughter Michal had fallen in love with David, and when Saul was told, he was happy about it.
And Melchol the daughter of Saul loved David; and it was told Saul, and the thing was pleasing in his eyes.
21 “I'll give her to David,” Saul thought. “She can be the bait so the Philistines can trap him.” So Saul said to David, “This is the second time you can become my son-in-law.”
And Saul said, I will give her to him, and she shall be a stumbling block to him. Now the hand of the Philistines was against Saul.
22 Saul gave these instructions to his servants, “Talk with David in private and tell him, ‘Look, the king is very happy with you, and all of us love you. Why not become the king's son-in-law?’”
And Saul charged his servants, saying, Speak you privately to David, saying, Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you, and do you becomes the king's son-in-law.
23 Saul's servants spoke privately to David, but he replied, “Do you think it's nothing to become the king's son-in-law? I'm a poor man, and I'm not important.”
And the servants of Saul spoke these words in the ears of David; and David said, [Is it] a light thing in your eyes to become son-in-law to the king? Whereas I [am] an humble man, an not honourable?
24 When Saul's servants explained to him what David had said,
And the servants of Saul reported to him according to these words, which David spoke.
25 Saul told them, “Tell David, ‘The only dowry the king wants for the bride is one hundred foreskins of dead Philistine as a way of taking revenge on his enemies.’” Saul's plan was to have David be killed by the Philistines.
And Saul said, Thus shall you speak to David, The king wants no gift but a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to avenge himself on the kings enemies. Now Saul thought to cast him into the hands of the Philistines.
26 When the servants reported what the king had said back to David, he was happy to become the king's son-in-law. While there was still time,
And the servants of Saul report these words to David, and David was well pleased to become the son-in-law to the king.
27 David set off with his men and killed two hundred Philistines, and brought back their foreskins. They counted them all out before the king so that David could become the king's son-in-law. So Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
And David arose, and went, he and his men, and struck amongst the Philistines a hundred men: and he brought their foreskins, and he becomes the king's son-in-law, and [Saul] gives him Melchol his daughter to wife.
28 Saul realized that the Lord was with David and that his daughter Michal was in love with David,
And Saul saw that the Lord [was] with David, and [that] all Israel loved him.
29 and so he became even more afraid of David, and was David's enemy for the rest of his life.
And he was yet more afraid of David.
30 Whenever the Philistine commanders attacked, David was more successful in battle than all of Saul's officers, so that his reputation grew rapidly.
[And the chief of the Philistines went forth; and it came to pass that from the suficiency of their expedition David acted Wisely above all the servants of Saul; and his name was honoured exceedingly. ]
